Article originally published in German on Die Aktive Bürgerschaft, 29 May 2020 – accessible here
Various associations, federations and foundations have called on the Federal Government to provide financial support for civil society in the Corona crisis. For example, the German Fundraising Association (Deutscher Fundraising Verband e.V.) emphasized in a press release of March 17, 2020, that “in addition to private companies and freelancers, charitable organizations must also be protected”. Phineo, a consultancy for civic engagement, also calls for a state support programme for civil society.
Phineo warns that most non-profit organizations have hardly any financial reserves. The Corona crisis therefore carries the danger of “ruining many civil society initiatives”. This is because donations and funding from companies and foundations threaten to collapse in the course of a recession, fundraising events cannot take place and project funding cannot be called up because projects cannot be carried out.
The fundraising association pleads, among other things, that the state should refrain from reclaiming funds for projects and events that had to be postponed due to Covid-19. Phineo demands, among other things, “unbureaucratic and uncomplicated reallocation of project funds in existing funding agreements, for example when events are converted to digital services”. More than 20 organizations have already signed Phineo’s appeal.
Read more about the call and the demands